Thieves ram-raid Lancashire supermarket with stolen JCB then make off with cash machine

Thieves used a stolen JCB to smash through a supermarket wall in Carnforth before stealing the cash machine.

Police are appealing for witnesses following the ram-raid burglary at the Co-Op in Market Street at around 3am on Thursday April 5.

Thieves used a stolen JCB to smash through the building

Officers say a JCB, believed to be stolen from nearby, was driven into the shop front, before the offenders removed the cash machine and made off with it, leaving the JCB on the site.

The supermarket had only just re-opened on March 17 following a £580,000 refurbishment.

Police are now appealing for witnesses to come forward, particularly anybody who may have seen a white Mitsubishi and dark coloured SUV around the time of the incident.

Force Incident Manager, Phil Broughton, of Lancashire Police said: “The offenders made off with the ATM machine and its contents.

“We are now working to establish who is responsible and would urge anyone with information to contact police immediately.

“We believe the JCB was stolen from the surrounding area so would ask machinery owners to check their property and report anything suspicious to police. We would also ask that landowners check for anything which may be connected to this incident and may have been dumped by the offenders as they left the scene.”

A spokesperson for the Co-op, said: “We can confirm that an incident involving an attack on the ATM at our Carnforth store on Market Street occurred in the early hours of Thursday morning, April 5.

“Fortunately, no one was hurt but the store is currently closed while we assess the damage.

“We apologise to our customers for the inconvenience caused and hope to reopen to serve the community as soon as possible. The Co-op takes retail crime very seriously and implements a wide range of measures to deter criminal activity and aid convictions. We appeal for anyone with information to come forward to the police.”

Anybody with information should contact police on 101 quoting log number 150 of April 5.